Transcript Resources for the Blessing of Same-Sex Relationships A sample presentation for use by presenters who are very familiar with the SCLM’s whole report,

Resources for the Blessing of
Same-Sex Relationships
A sample presentation for use by presenters who
are very familiar with the SCLM’s whole report, i.e
you have read, marked and inwardly digested the
report, “I Will Bless You and You Will Be a Blessing”
Resources for the Blessing of
Same-Sex Relationships
Overview
St. XXXX’s Episcopal Church,
This Town, ST
SCLM Report
1. Introduction
2. Faith, Hope, and Love: Theological Resources for Blessing Same-Sex
Relationships
3. The Church‘s Canon Law and Laws of the States
4. Hearing, Seeing, and Declaring New Things: Preparing Same-Sex
Couples for a Liturgy of Blessing
5. The Witnessing and Blessing of a Lifelong Covenant: Liturgical
Resources for Blessing Same-Sex Relationships
6. Discussion Guide to “I Will Bless You, and You Will Be a Blessing”:
Resources for Blessing Same-Sex Relationships
7. Appendices:
A Review of General Convention Legislation
Glossary
2009 - C-056 Resolution
Action Items the resolution calls for?
 Collect and develop theological
& liturgical resources
 Consult HOB
 Devise open process
 Invite participation
How did the SCLM Respond?
An Open Process
• Early 2010 – Created 4 Task Groups Liturgical,
Theological, Pastoral & Teaching, and Civil/Canon
Law. Secured funding for the work.
• July 2010 - The SCLM and Task Groups met
and 4 more times over the next 14 months.
• September 2010 - Consultation with the
House of Bishops.
• October 2010 - Province I Hearing.
• October 2010-January 2011 - Churchwide Web-
based Survey Regarding Pastoral Counseling
and Teaching Materials.
1,131 responses, 111 dioceses, all 9 Provinces.
• March 2011 - Churchwide Consultation.
195 Deputies (lay & ordained) from 98 dioceses
• July 2011 - Review of Draft Resources.
133 reviewers, lay and ordained, from all 9 provinces.
• September 2011 – House of Bishops review
final drafts.
• Informal networks of Bishops and Task Group
members in and across various dioceses.
Inviting Reflection from throughout the
Anglican Communion
• Anglican Church of Canada shared insights
and liturgies
• Bishops invited to share Liturgical and
Theological principles with Anglican Bishops
• International Anglican Liturgical
Consultation (IALC). Discussion with 55 people
from 19 Provinces of the Anglican Communion.
Remembering How We Got Here
General Convention’s work over 35 years:
• 1976: First discussion and resolution:
homosexual persons are children of God
• 2000: Clarity about Same-Sex couples:
such relationships will be characterized by
fidelity, monogamy, mutual affection and
respect, careful, honest communication, holy love
• 2003: Liturgies celebrating/blessing relationship:
within the bounds of our common life.
• Honor theological diversity of The Episcopal Church
Discussions and Resolutions also in 1985,1991, 1994, 1997
2012 GC Resolution A049
• Commend Blessing material for study & use
• Authorize Liturgy for provisional use under Bp’s direction
• States where Same-Sex legal status:
– Bishop generous pastoral response
– May adapt Liturgy & Declaration of Intention
• Discretion to use/not use; no one coerced or punished
• Continue to honor theological diversity and include it
• Develop open process of review (Episcopal and Anglican)
and report back in 2015
2012 GC Resolution A050
• Task Force - explore biblical, theological,
historical, liturgical, and canonical dimensions of
marriage
• Consider issues of social & cultural change that
include, but are not limited to, Same-Sex couples
• Develop tools for theological reflection and
norms for local theological discussion
• Report back 2015
• Request $30,000 for implementation
Faith, Hope and Love
Theological Resources for Blessing Same-Sex Relationships
Four Sections:
1. Mission: What does the Church believe these
blessings will contribute to God‘s own work of
redeeming and reconciling love in the world?
2. Blessings: What does the Church believe is
happening when it pronounces God‘s blessing?
3. Covenant: What does the Church believe are
the distinguishing marks of a holy covenant?
4. Unity: What is the relationship between
Christian unity and our differing approaches to
biblical interpretation regarding Same-Sex
relationships?
Theological Resources for Blessing Same-Sex Relationships
MISSION
Missional understanding of blessing: I will
bless you, and make your name great, so
that you will be a blessing (Genesis 12:2b)
Christians - Missional understanding of
covenantal blessing: grace they received
in Christ not for themselves alone but so
that they could bear witness to that grace
- in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8)
Jesus - life of faith has mission: no one after
lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel
basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives
light to all in the house (Matthew 5:15)
Theological Resources for Blessing Same-Sex Relationships
MISSION
Worship - Church‘s rites from the Daily Office to
the Holy Eucharist: we give thanks for God‘s
blessings, and we pray for the grace we
need to manifest that blessing in the
world, to ―do the work [God has] given us
to do (BCP pg. 366)
Eschatological Vision: we collaborate with
God as both proclaimers of and instruments
for the new creation God is bringing about
Challenge: expanding mission in response to
God‘s extravagant grace and blessing (Acts 10)
Theological Resources for Blessing Same-Sex Relationships
Theology of Blessing – The Church’s Joy
Blessing always originates in God
Blessing threefold aspects
Blessing changes a couple
Blessing changes the Church
Blessing emphasis on God’s abundance
Theological Resources for Blessing Same-Sex Relationships
Covenantal Relationship - The Church’s Life
Creation, Baptism and Eucharist
Characteristics: fidelity, monogamy, mutual
affection and respect, careful, honest
communication, and the holy love which
enables those in such relationships to see in
each other the image of God (GC 2000 D039)
Framework and Pattern:
Goodness
Marked as Christ’s own
Take - Bless – Break – Give*
Theological Resources for Blessing Same-Sex Relationships
Covenantal Relationship - The Church’s Life
Loving Our Neighbors as Ourselves
Called into Covenant
The Vocation of Households
Faithful Intimacy
Mutual Blessing and Fruitfulness
Theological Resources for Blessing Same-Sex Relationships
Christian Unity and Biblical Interpretation The Church’s Challenge
BCP: Pray for Christian unity
Challenges to God‘s gift of unity - Not New
I Corinthians 3:1-9
Romans 12:3-8
Galatians 2:2-21
Acts 10:9-47
C056: Acknowledges differences of opinion
concerning the interpretation of Scripture and
Same-Sex relationships
Theological Resources for Blessing Same-Sex Relationships
Christian Unity and Biblical Interpretation The Church’s Challenge
First words from this section:
 All of us have more to learn from Scripture and
from each other.
 In faithfulness to Christ, we acknowledge and
respect those differences among us in our
fervent hope that disagreements over this
biblical material need not divide the Church.
 Writers in our shared Anglican history have
often turned to “a theologically informed and
spiritually sustained patience”
Theological Resources for Blessing Same-Sex Relationships
Christian Unity and Biblical Interpretation The Church’s Challenge
Agreement: the saving love and grace of God in
Christ
Disagreements: Marked church life throughout
history:
OLDER:
Usury, canon of Scripture, liturgical
vestments, place of music, role of ordained
ministers
OLD:
Economic reform, divorce and
remarriage, contraception
MORE RECENT: slavery, role of women & SameSex relationships
Theological Resources for Blessing Same-Sex Relationships
Christian Unity and Biblical Interpretation The Church’s Challenge
The Great Example of Re-Interpretation:
Acts 15
• Process of prayerful deliberation adopted by those
early believers
• The apostles sought a way to honor the centrality
of Scripture while also attending carefully to the
ongoing movement of the Spirit in their midst.
The importance of this historical moment
lies in modeling the process
those early believers adopted.
The Church‘s Canon Law
and Laws of the States
A. Civil Law considerations:
blessing a Same-Sex couple’s
covenantal relationship – OK
(1st Amendment)
B. Canonical considerations:
More complex
Legal and Canonical
Guidelines for Clergy
Does your state
recognize
Same-Sex
marriages?
Does your state
recognize
civil unions?
Is your state
a DOMA state?
Does your bishop
allow you to
liturgically bless
Same-Sex unions?
What can I do?
It depends!
Does your bishop
allow you to
legally solemnize
Same-Sex unions?
For help, see the example scenarios
in the Resource.
Legal and Canonical
Guidelines for Clergy
What can
I do?
It depends!
But…
One thing is clear:
With General Convention’s
agreement, if your Bishop
authorizes the use of the Liturgy
for Same-Sex Blessings, then
…
You may officiate
at the liturgy in your diocese.
Three Other Sections
• Education – Helping a congregation decide
whether or not to make same-sex
blessings a part of their liturgical life
• Pastoral Care - Preparing the couple
• The Liturgy – Authorized for provisional
use
Discussion Guide to
“I Will Bless You, and You Will Be a Blessing”:
Resources for Blessing Same-Sex Relationships
5 Study Areas for Congregations:
Broad areas
Adjustable to context
About “opening/having the
conversation”
Mutual Respect/Covenant
Discussion Guide to
“I Will Bless You, and You Will Be a Blessing”:
Resources for Blessing Same-Sex Relationships
Study Area One: History
Study Area Two: Theology and the Bible
Study Area Three: Liturgy
Study Area Four: Civil and Canon Law
Study Area Five: Mission
Hearing, Seeing, and Declaring New Things
Preparing Same-sex Couples
for a Liturgy of Blessing
Overview: Pastoral Care for Same-sex
Couples
1. Materials for Pastoral Preparation
2. Particular Issues Affecting Samesex Couples
3. Presenters
4. Outline of Pre-Blessing
Preparation for Same-sex Couples
THE LITURGY
What kind of relationships
are we blessing?
Most Frequently asked Questions
• Clarity of GC’s request
• Same expectations for Same-Sex couples
as different-sex couples
• Look through the lens of the Declaration
of Intention as required in a marriage
and adapted for lifelong covenant
People not Concept
Two of the SCLM’s most important “discoveries:”
1. About real couples … trying to love one
another, be in relationship, find support /
blessing from God and community.
2. We are backing into this ministry.
Blessings were already happening.
General Convention asked SCLM to learn
what’s been done and bring a report to be
considered.